Omi Fushimi/Picture Update

A World We’ve Yet to See

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Omi	Taichi, how are you feeling?
Taichi	Dead tired~!!
Omi	I suppose we did move plenty in today’s rehearsal.
Taichi	I didn’t even get time to check social media at all thanks to that…
Omi	Now that you mentioned it, I never got the chance to look since this morning either.
	… Oh, seems like there’s an update from Kazunari. Everyone else from the Summer Troupe is in the shot too, look—
Taichi	… (snore) (snore)...
Omi	(Already sound asleep, huh. It’s like his power supply was cut snap just like that. We were just chatting like normal just a second ago too.)
	Guess I should hit the sack as well. Goodnight, Taichi.
Omi	…Mm?
	(Where…)
	(There’s no mistaking it— this is the world of “Stranger”, isn’t it?)
	(I know we were just doing rehearsals for the play, but to think I’d even start dreaming about it… Come to think of it, I had a similar dream around the time of our first run too.)
???	——...
	*BUMPS*
Omi	—!!
	(And just like back then, everything feels just as real as if this wasn’t a dream at all.)
	My bad, I didn’t mean to block the path—
Wolf	——
Omi	Wolf!?
Wolf	It’s you——
Man A	Holddit right there!
Wolf	Tsk…
	… Looks like you’ve got folks chasing after you again.
Wolf	Was just passin’ by when those guys tried to pick a fight with me. And I only threw a punch once.
Omi	That so…..
	(Guess even his personality is the same as ever.)
Wolf	I know they’re not even worth the fight, but they’re still stubborn as hell. Looks like I gotta get outta this place ASAP.
Omi	I see. In that case, I’ll come with you.
Wolf	…Why’re you tagging along again?
Omi	If I stay here, I’ll be the one who’ll be falsely accused, you know? Having the same face as you, and all that.
	Or would you rather that I leave you and get beaten up like what happened last time? I’d be fine with that too.
Wolf	…Tch. Do what you want.
Omi	(This place has loads of abandoned bikes and broken stuff lying around… Has he been lying low in a scrapyard like this?)
Zero	——Wolf!!
Omi	——.....
	(If Wolf’s here, I shouldn’t be surprised that Zero’s with him too.)
Zero	You took so long to come back, I was startin’ to get worried.
	But… I see you’re here too. It was… “Omi”, right?
Omi	“Too”? Then that means——
Taichi	Ah, Omi-kun!
Omi	Taichi!
Wolf	Why is this guy here too…
Zero	Quite the touching reunion, I’ll say!
	After you came to Wolf’s rescue last time, we managed to get out of that messy sitch’ one way or ‘nother. But the next thing I knew, Taichi had disappeared.
	When me and Wolf got back together, I heard from him that you just suddenly disappeared as well. It was worryin’ to hear, but it’s great that we got to meet again like this!
Taichi	Zero-chan…!! I’m so happy to see you again too!
Zero	In that case, how ‘bout a reunion hug for the occasion?
	Eehh!? A hug with a girl…!?! T-That’s too much even for me…!!
Wolf	Where in the hell did you learn those kinds of gestures anyway…
Zero	Don’t you wanna give one too, Wolf? A “welcome back” hug!
Wolf	Absolutely not.
Zero	I figured you’d say that.

Wolf	Enough with the chit-chat. We’ve restocked what we needed so we’d best get going.
Omi	Where are you guys heading off to?
Zero	… Do you two know of this thing called the “ocean”?
Taichi	‘Course we do! I’d say it’s even a place of memories for me and Omi-kun here.
	It’s especially beautiful when you see it during dawn or dusk!
Omi	The sun illuminates the sky with a wonderful red and orange gradation. It’s a gorgeous sight for sure.
Zero	… Really?
	Me and Wolf… We’ve never seen the ocean before.
Taichi	Never?
Zero	This “ocean”— it’s like a whole body of water that reaches far and wide, right?
	It never even crossed our minds that such a place could still exist in a world full of ruin like this.
	We don’t know where this place is specifically, but we’ve heard about the ocean being somewhere close to here. That’s why we figured to give it a shot, y’know?
Omi	…Does that mean you’re interested in seeing the ocean too, Wolf?
Wolf	… As if.
	This girl’s just orderin’ me around as she pleases.
Omi	… I see.
	(When I bumped into him again earlier, I thought his personality was the same as it used to be. But it seems like spending so much time with Zero has made him a little softer.)
Wolf	——What’s with that look on your face? Askin’ to get mugged again?
Omi	Please go easy on me…
Zero	… So anyway. We’re aiming to see the ocean, but what ‘bout you guys?
	If you’re gonna tag along, then how ‘bout hopping on Wolf’s bike with us?
Wolf	Don’t be stupid. There’s no way this would run with you PLUS two more guys on it, let alone fit them. Not like I planned to give them a ride anyway.
Taichi	How cold-hearted—!!
Omi	Haha, I figured as much though.
Wolf	If you wanna come along, then you’d better put those legs to good use.
	*MOTOR REVS*
Wolf	We’re going. Get on.
Zero	Ah— H-Hey! No need to pull my arm——
	*MOTORBIKE DRIVES AWAY*
Taichi	Wow! He actually left us on our own here!!
Omi	……
Taichi	Forget about being able to see the ocean or not— isn’t it too mean of him to just leave us in the middle of nowhere? We don't even know the first thing about this place! Right, Omi-kun——
	HUH!? Omi-kun, where’d you go!?
	*MOTOR REVS*
Taichi	—Wait, that sound…
Omi	Taichi, get on the bike.
Taichi	Omi-kun!? Where’d you get this——
Omi	I remembered about the abandoned bikes I saw nearby. Thank goodness this one still had its key attached to it.
	Let’s go after them, shall we?
Taichi	Omi-kun! You’re as amazing as ever!
	*MOTORBIKE DRIVES*
Taichi	Ah! That's Wolf and Zero-chan! They've pulled over there!
	*TIRES SCREECH*
Wolf	I had a feeling you’d pick up one of the abandoned bikes over there.
Omi	You knew and still left us on our own like that? How harsh of you.
Zero	Really sorry that Wolf’s so mean to you guys.
Taichi	Don’t mind it too much!
Wolf	Let’s get goin’.
Zero	… Still no sign of the ocean anywhere.
Taichi	We’ve been driving for who knows how long already…
Zero	I guess it’s not that easy to find it after all. I mean, it’s even possible that it doesn’t exist in the first place…
Taichi	Zero-chan…
Wolf	‘Course you’re not gonna find it with that kind of thinking— you must not be that desperate after all if you’re gonna give up that fast.
Zero	— I never said I was giving up! I am NOT getting off this bike until we find it!
Wolf	…Hmph.
Omi	(Wolf was comforting Zero in his own way just now. The relationship between these two really has gotten closer than it did before—)
	*DISTANT SPLASHES*
Omi	——...
	*TIRES SCREECH*
Taichi	Omi-kun? You suddenly stopped, what’s up?
Omi	… It was faint, but I think I heard the sound of waves.
Taichi	No way!?
Omi	This way.
	*MOTORBIKE DRIVES*
Zero	C’mon, Wolf! After them! HURRY!!
Wolf	… Tch.

Zero	…..
Taichi	There really IS an ocean here!
Omi	Yep. That’s the ocean, alright.
	Not only that, we came at the perfect time too.
Taichi	Sure did! The sunset is so incredibly pretty!!
Wolf	So this is… The ocean…
Zero	…It’s amazing, isn’t it, Wolf? I’ve never seen a sight like this before!
Omi	It’s not just the ocean either— I’m sure that there’s a lot more of the world you have yet to see. There has to be.
	For both of you, and even for Taichi and I… As long as we are alive and breathing, there’s a multitude of things left to discover.
Wolf	… Perhaps so.
Taichi	—Woah, the water’s cold!! I guess that fact doesn’t change no matter what kind of world you’re in!
	But hey, since we’re here, you guys should come enjoy the water too! So come on! Wolf, and Zero-chan too~!!
Zero	… Right! Let’s go, Wolf!
Wolf	Oi, don’t just pull me——
	*FOOTSTEPS RUNNING*
Omi	….
Taichi	And you too, Omi-kun! Don’t just stand there and watch!
Omi	Yeah. I’ll be right there.
Omi	——!!
	… I knew it. It was just a dream.
	(The sun hasn’t even risen yet. Guess I woke up pretty early this time.)
Taichi	Omi-kun…?
Omi	Did I wake you up, Taichi?
Taichi	Nah… I was just waking up from a dream.
	It was just like before— a dream when I found myself in the world of “Stranger” and went on a journey together with Wolf and Zero-chan…
Omi	——
	… Then that only means the two of us shared the same dream yet again.
Taichi	So you dreamt the same thing too!? I thought I was just making that up in my own head!
Omi	As always, it’s a mystery how such a thing even came to be.
Taichi	But if that’s the case, I can cut my story short! See, I’ve got a favor to ask of you, Omi-kun——
Taichi	It’s freeeeezing!!
	The ocean’s really at its coldest during winter, no joke…!!
Omi	Looks like it was the right call to buy some canned coffee then.
Taichi	Sure was! Don’t even need a hand warmer if we can just hold the cans like this!
	… The moment I woke up from my dream, I immediately wanted to head out here. That’s why I’m glad we got to come here together, Omi-kun!
Omi	I was thinking the same thing.
Taichi	I hope Wolf and Zero-chan are also enjoying their time at the ocean.
	Talk about timing though. Like, I didn’t even get to see more of their reactions before waking up. Kinda sucks…
Omi	Right… Maybe I should bring a camera with me the next time we find ourselves in that dream again.
Taichi	Your camera?
Omi	Yeah. As a cameraman, I would’ve loved to capture the best shots I could for Wolf and Zero.
	I’m sure I could get plenty of them too, considering we were by the ocean at the golden hour.
Taichi	That does sound pretty good!
	But before I forget… You did bring your camera for today too, didn’t you, Omi-kun?
	Since we’re already here, I want you to take a pic of me—the same way we did back then!
Omi	‘Course. That was the plan from the start.
Taichi	This spot here should be fine, right?
Omi	Yep. Alright, I’m taking the pic.
	*CAMERA CLICKS*
Omi	… Alright. That’s a good one.
Taichi	For real!? Okay, my turn to take a picture of you, Omi-kun! Let’s switch, c’mon c’mon.
Omi	Haha, if you say so. Where should I put this canned coffee…
Taichi	Just hold onto it, it’ll be fine! Alright, smile for the camera—
	*CAMERA CLICKS*
Omi	… How is it?
Taichi	Perfect! I managed to get a super cool shot of you!
	Somehow, when it’s like this, I can really feel how much I’ve improved in taking photos compared to last time.
Omi	Well… I’d say it’s also thanks to the experience with all the photos that we've taken together with everyone.
Taichi	…For sure!
	Alright, for the last shot, we should take a selfie together against the ocean and the sunrise!
	Ermm… Let me reach out a little mooooore…
Omi	Don’t push yourself. Wouldn’t using a tripod make it easier?
Taichi	No can do! For times like this, taking a selfie is much better!
	C’mon, Omi-kun! Get closer!
Omi	…Like this?
Taichi	Lookin’ good! Okay, I’m taking it now—
	…Aaaand, cheese!

Dita